Truth, Love, Lies and Forgiveness Rev A
by revelias
Summary: Ayeka does something that causes Ryoko to be kicked out the house.


Truth, Love, Lies and Forgiveness: A Tenchi Muyo Tale

By Revelias

***Author's note: I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of the characters there in I am only borrowing them for the duration of this story.

This is my very first Tenchi Story so any reviews would be extremely helpful. ***

            No one ever said that the world was fair. Life is a constant struggle to maintain a semblance of normality. For those that grow to complacent, to set in the here and now life has a way of kicking them in the face and daring them to comeback for more. 

            The day began as usual in the Masaki home. Sasami was busy in the kitchen preparing the morning meal while the remaining family members finished their unusual morning routines. 

"Tenchi could you get everyone please, breakfast is almost ready." Sasami asked with her usual cheerful attitude. 

"Sure thing Sasami." Came Tenchi's reply.

 "Thank you Tenchi." 

Tenchi blissfully made his way up the stairs to the room that Sasami shared with her sister Ayeka. Knocking lightly upon the door Tenchi waited a moment before he called to the room's occupant. "Lady Ayeka, breakfast is ready."

 "Oh, Lord Tenchi, thank you I'll be right down." Ayeka replied with a cheerful tone in her voice.

            Next stop for Tenchi was the room shared by Galaxy Police Detectives Mihoshi and Kiyone. 

"Mihoshi, Kiyone breakfast is ready." Tenchi called to the two women once he was standing outside their door.

"Alright, Tenchi." Replied Kiyone in her usual authoritative voice. 

From there Tenchi made his way down the stairs to the broom closet that Washu had claimed for herself. Tenchi let out a small sigh before he knocked and entered into Washu's personal domain. 

"Little Washu, Sasami has breakfast ready. Will you be joining us this morning?" Tenchi called to the self-proclaimed greatest scientific mind in the universe.

 "Sure thing, Tenchi, lets go. Unless of course you rather give me that sample I asked you for." Washu said with a mischievous smile. 

"Ah Little Washu now you…" Tenchi began but didn't get a chance to finish before Washu let him off the hook. 

"That's ok Tenchi unlike the others I gave up trying to win you a long time ago. After all I don't think that I ever really had a chance anyway." Washu stated as a heartbreaking expression quickly graced her normally jovial features.

 "Little Washu, I don't know what to say. You know that I care for you…" Again Washu cut him off. 

"No explanations necessary Tenchi. I just ask that when you do finally chose that you make sure that you chose for the right reasons and not because you feel obligated to chose only from the women who happen to live in this house." Washu simply finished allowing no time for Tenchi to reply before she moved off towards the dimensional portal leading back into the Masaki home. 

Ryoko was the last person Tenchi needed to inform about breakfast however as he and Washu exited the portal he was pleasantly surprised to find that she was already waiting for them at the table with the rest of the family. Breakfast passed with its usual level of excitement except for the typical shouting match between Ryoko and Ayeka. 

            With breakfast finished everyone separated to perform his or her morning chores. Tenchi went to work in the fields leaving Sasami and Ryo-Ohki to clean the kitchen while Ayeka tended to the living area. Mihoshi and Kiyone took care of the yard work while Washu tidied the bathrooms before she slipped back into her own dimension. With everyone busy with housework Ryoko was left the task traveling into town in order to buy groceries for the coming week. 

            It didn't take Ryoko long to complete her shopping and return home. As she made her way home the thought occurred to the former Space Pirate that she might take a few moments to speak to Tenchi on her way to the family home. However, Ryoko hadn't expected to find Ayeka already speaking with him. As it was close to lunchtime Ryoko concluded that Sasami must have sent the princess to tell Tenchi that lunch was ready. If this was indeed the case Ryoko decided that rather than get and into a fight with Ayeka she would simply take the groceries into the house and put them away. 

Ryoko managed to put away the groceries within record time and than decided to go upstairs and wash up before lunch. On her way she noticed Ayeka waiting at the top of the stairs. However, thinking little about it Ryoko simply asked "What is it now Princess?" 

A long moment passed before Ayeka turned to look into Ryoko's eyes with a somewhat remorseful expression and quietly said, "I'm sorry, but this is the only way."  The First Princess of Juria then gave a halfhearted smile before she screamed out Ryoko's name and threw herself down the stairs. Leaving a stunned Ryoko to look on in utter disbelief.

            Everyone in the house hurried to investigate the terrifying scream only to find Ayeka lying at the bottom of the stairs unconscious and bleeding from a serious gash on her forehead. 

            "Ayeka!" Sasami screamed rushing to her sister's side as tears openly flowed from her large pinkish eyes.

            "What happened? Ayeka can you hear me?" Washu vainly tried to rouse the unconscious woman.

            Ryoko had gone unnoticed until she floated to Washu's side and began to speak. "We were the top of the stairs…and she was just standing there. She seemed to be waiting for me so I asked her what she wanted but she…" Ryoko started but was quickly interrupted.

"How could you Ryoko?" Screamed Kiyone. 

"I…I…I didn't. You didn't let me…" Ryoko again tried to explain what had happened but was interrupted when the front door swung open. 

As Tenchi entered the front door he was greeted by the commotion that had occurred a few moments before. Seeing the wounded Ayeka upon the floor he rushed to her side in order to find out what had happened and to try to help her. "What happened to Ayeka?" He simply stated to the gathered members of his family. 

No one in the room could answer him rather they could only cast a condemning glare upon an apparently guilty Ryoko. Tenchi could not mistake the intense glares that the others had cast upon the former space pirate and instantly presumed the worst. Casting his eyes back towards Ayeka Tenchi carefully lifted her in his arms and carried her upstairs to her room. As he passed Ryoko Tenchi did not even grant her a angry glance instead he simply and calmly asked her to wait for him in his room.

            Watching Tenchi carrying Ayeka Ryoko had said nothing in her defense. At the time the look on his face told her that it would be useless to say anything until he was sure that Ayeka would be all right. Instead without saying anything further Ryoko floated up to Tenchi's room and waited as he had asked. 

Nearly an hour past before he came to her. Tenchi had needed the time to see after Ayeka and to calm his anger before he could confront Ryoko. Sitting on the edge of Tenchi's bed Ryoko watched the young man enter the room. She had expected him to yell or admonish her but instead he had only stood with his back to her.

"Tenchi let me explain. You see what happened was…" Ryoko tried to explain but was silenced by Tenchi interrupting her.

 "What happened was you took it too far this time Ryoko. You might have killed her you know. Luckily she will be alright." Tenchi stated without ever turning to face her.

 "No Tenchi you don't understand Ayeka was…" Ryoko again tried to explain the young prince.

"I don't want to here it Ryoko!" Tenchi began finally turning to face Ryoko.  "I don't care who started it or why you were fighting in the first place!" He continued with his voice full of venom directed solely towards a bewildered Ryoko. "Ryoko I know that you didn't mean to hurt her but the fact is that you did. And I'm sorry but I am not willing to risk it happening again. With that said I'm asking you to leave and not to come back…at least not for a while." Tenchi sadly told Ryoko.

 "But Tenchi, I didn't do anything wrong. Ayeka was…" Ryoko once again tried to state her case only to be ignored once more.

"Enough Ryoko, please don't make things any worst by lying to me just take your things and go." Tenchi's voice had lost its edge with this final exchange and Ryoko knew that he had finally reached his limit. 

"If that's you want then I'll go. You won't have to look at me a moment longer than you have to." Ryoko somberly declared before she transported herself to her small room and gathered her few personal possessions before she left the Masaki home for the last time without saying another word to anyone.

A week had passed before Ayeka was able to rejoin the family for meals and activates. During her first morning back she noticed that Ryoko wasn't present and she absently made a comment to that fact. 

"It's just like that woman not to be on time for breakfast. At any rate tell me where she is and I will go an get her." The Princess of Juria absently said to no one in particular.

 "Ayeka, Ryoko doesn't live here anymore. Tenchi asked her to leave after she…well you know." Sasami said with a quite and somewhat sad voice. 

"What do you mean Sasami? Lord Tenchi would never have sent her away because of something so petty. Tell her Tenchi, tell her that you would never do something like that because of something this silly." Ayeka looked towards Tenchi while beseeching him to agree with her assertion. 

 "Lady Ayeka, Sasami's right. I asked Ryoko to leave I couldn't risk her hurting you again intentionally or unintentionally." Tenchi returned valiantly attempting to fill his voice with confidence. 

Hearing Tenchi's voice full of false bravado caused Ayeka's face shadow over the look of a person who was about to be hit by a truck. For the first time since she had set he plan into motion Ayeka fully realized the ramifications of what she had done. "I'm sorry would you please excuse me I need to get some air." The Crown Princess muttered as she quickly stood and rushed out the door. Streams of tears ran down Ayeka's face and her mind silently screamed chastising her for her sins against Ryoko and the man she claimed so adamantly to love. However, as much as it pained her, Ayeka knew that she would never be able to tell anyone the truth about what had really happened. She would simply have to live with the guilt that lingered in her soul.

After leaving the Masaki home Ryoko found that she didn't really have anywhere else to go. For a time she had considered returning to space but that would have meant taking Ryo-Ohki. And the thought of causing Sasami any further pain quickly quashed that option. Thus she had begun to travel through the countryside without any particular destination in mind until she reached a small town on the coast. It wasn't home but it would have to due until she could figure out exactly where she would go and what she would do. Whatever the future held for her, Ryoko knew that she could never face Tenchi again. After all he had rejected her time after time and in the end had even refused to listen to her explanation before he had cast her to the wind in favor of his precious Ayeka. In the end what did it really matter if he rejected her. She was a space pirate and a powerful one at that. All she needed was a ship and she could return to the stars and survive by her wits like she had under Kagato's control. Yet, deep down Ryoko knew that she could never go back to the life she had once known. All the carnage and death she had caused still haunted her in her dreams when she dared to close her eyes to sleep. Still what was there for her now? Without Tenchi and the others Ryoko was lost, and she knew it. Without her family life held no meaning. She didn't want to go on without them nor did she want to live without them. Thus there was only one option left open to her that would allow her to be with her family and still respect Tenchi's wishes. She had to return to the Masaki Shrine one last time.

Ryoko was waiting for Katsuhito when he returned from breakfast. "Ryoko, what are you doing here. I thought that you had left us for good." Katsuhito said as he motioned for her to enter the Shrine's office.

 "I have a request to ask of you Grandfather." Ryoko asked the old man as humble as she could while casting her gaze to the ground. 

Katsuhito said nothing as he waited for her to continue. "As you know Tenchi has asked me to leave the house and I did as he requested. However, I have found that I cannot live away from my family. I need to be near all of you. I need to hear you laugh, to watch you grow, to be by your sides." Tears began to slowly roll down Ryoko's cheek as she spoke. 

"Ryoko, I don't understand are you asking to return to the house? If so then you should speak to Tenchi and the others. It was his decision to ask you to leave and I cannot in good conscious go against him in this matter." Katsuhito stated gravely.

"No Grandfather, I'm not asking to return to the house. Tenchi made it very clear to me that he did not want me involved with him or any of the others and I will respect his wishes. It is the least I can do for him." Ryoko stated struggling to maintain her composure.

 "Tell me then Ryoko, what is it that you would ask of me." Katsuhito asked somewhat curiously. 

Ryoko could not stop the flow of tears that had begun nor could she stop herself from trembling at the thought of what she was about to ask. "Lord Katsuhito, most honorable Grandfather, I would ask that you seal me back into the cave as you did once before." Ryoko asked with a heavy heart.

 Katsuhito wasn't prepared for Ryoko to make such a request of him. In truth the old man could not believe that she would ever willing ask to be returned to her former prison. 

"You can't be serious Ryoko! Do you know what you're asking me to do? If you're sealed back into that cave you may never be able to leave again." Katsuhito told the woman before him hoping that she would withdraw the request she had made of him.

"I know and I'm prepared for that possibility It is the least that I can do to atone for the sins I have committed over the past two-thousand years." Ryoko mournfully replied. 

"But Ryoko thank of all you have accomplished since you were released. You're not the same person that you were when I imprisoned you all those years ago." The Shinto Monk stated trying his best to talk Ryoko out of the course of action she seemed determined to take.

"Forgive me Lord Katsuhito, but you're wrong. I'm the same harsh person I was seven hundred years ago. The only thing that being free has proven is that I'm not any better than I was back then. I should be imprisoned away from normal people. That way I can't hurt anyone else." Ryoko sorrowfully related doing her best to convince herself as well as the man setting before her. 

Looking into Ryoko's eyes Katsuhito could see that she was truly afraid of returning to her former prison. However, he could tell that Ryoko felt that this was the last option open to her. She wanted nothing more than to spend her days with her family but if that wasn't possible than she would be content with simply being able to watch them live their lives even in meant living in hell to do so.

 "If this is how you truly feel Ryoko than I will grant your request. But before I do I must know if your decision is based merely on the reasons you have stated or if there is something more that you chosen not to tell me? " Katsuhito sternly asked once again trying to get Ryoko to reconsider her choice.

Ryoko however, did not have to think very long about Katsuhito's question before she answered. "You're right, there is another reason for my decision. In part I'm doing this for Tenchi. I love him with all my heart. I have since the first time saw him as a child. When he refused to even listen to me, when he brushed me off without a second thought I knew that what Ayeka had said about me was true." Ryoko began to reluctantly relate one of her deepest secrets to the man before her.

 "And what may I ask did my misguided sister say to you that could have possibly led you to this to take this course of action." Katsuhito pondered. 

"She said that Tenchi could never love me because I was a monster that only knew how to kill. That I had no right to even believe that anyone, let alone Tenchi, would ever love a beast like me." Ryoko paused for a moment in order to collect herself before she continued. "Grandfather, It is because I love him so much that I had to come back here. If I can't stay with him in the way that I want than I can at least be with him as I was when he was a child." Ryoko finished with tears bursting from her golden eyes.

Katsuhito regarded Ryoko for a moment before he arose and stepped towards the door of the Shrine's Office.

 "Wait here for me Ryoko. In order to do what you ask I will need the Master Key." Katsuhito told a still sobbing Ryoko. 

"Wait, if you ask Tenchi for the key won't he…" Ryoko began.

"Do not worry no one will ever know that you are here unless of course you would wish it be known." The old monk remarked.

 "Thank you Grandfather but no. It will be easier on everyone if they don't know that I'm here." Ryoko sadly told the elder Masaki.

Katsuhito regarded the former space pirate once more before he turned to leave in order to retrieve the instrument of Ryoko's imprisonment.

            Making his way from the Masaki Shrine Katsuhito fully indented on carrying through with his promise to Ryoko. He would retrieve the sword and use its power to return her to the confines of the cave. However, he took longer than usual to make the short trip to the family home in part because he hoped that while he was away Ryoko would change her mind and leave before he returned. However, if she was still there when he returned he hoped that the time he took now would allow him to figure out a way to convince her that the path she was choosing was not the correct one and that if she would simply talk to the family perhaps a more reasonable solution could reached. 

Ayeka was setting on the porch of the house when Lord Katsuhito reached his destination. He noticed right away that she had been crying but more importantly he noticed the two packed bags next her. 

"Ayeka, whatever is the matter?" Katsuhito remarked out of concern for his sister. 

"Oh, Yosho. It's nothing really. It's just that I have decided to leave Earth and return to my duties as the First Princess of Juria's Royal Family." The Princess responded sadly. 

"I see." Katsuhito somberly remarked regarding Ayeka's impetuous decision to return to Juria. "You're sudden decision to return home would not have anything to do with Ryoko would it?" He continued suspecting that there was more to the recent events than he knew.

 "Of course not brother. I simply feel that I should return to my duties for the good of the Juria people. That is all." Ayeka said trying to show a strong face so that Katsuhito would not suspect her true reasons for leaving the world she had grown to love far more than Juria.

"You are not a very good liar Ayeka." Katsuhito said using his full height to intimidate his younger sister. "Now if you would be so kind as to tell me the real reason that you are leaving or would you prefer I summon Tenchi so that he might ask you himself." The old monk asked.

Katsuhito's remarks caused Ayeka to react with a potent sense of apprehension. The last thing she wanted was to try to explain to Tenchi the real reason behind her hasty decision to leave.

"Ayeka! Answer me now!" The monk's voice echoed demanding that Ayeka answer his question. Recognizing the authority that he held over her Ayeka timidly began to relate the entire truth of the past few weeks. 

"Alright Yosho. It began a little over a week ago when I accidentally over heard Lord Tenchi speaking with Sasami." 

*******************************Flashback********************************

            Tenchi was in his room finishing his schoolwork when a soft knock on his door caught his attention. "Yes, who is it?" Tenchi responded. 

"It's me Tenchi, Sasami. Is it all right if I talk to you for a minute." The young woman shyly asked through the door.

Tenchi immediately went to the door knowing that it must be something important for Sasami to come to him in this manner.

 "Of Course Sasami, how can I help you?" Tenchi replied after opening the door for his Aunt.

Sasami stood silently for a moment not entirely sure as to how to begin. "Tenchi I know that both Ayeka and Ryoko really like you and that they both hope that you will chose one of them as your wife someday." Sasami began.

"Well Sasami you see…" Tenchi tried to explain but was cut short by something he saw in Sasami's eyes.

"Tenchi I know that you have already made your choice about who it is that you really love and that you just don't want to hurt the other one's feelings." Sasami' knowing told the young man standing beside her.

Tenchi's face reflected the astonishment that he was feeling. He had been sure that no one knew the secret that he had been hiding for nearly a year. 

"Sasami, how did you know that I had…I mean how could know that I am in love with…" Sasami stop him before he could finish. 

"I might only look like I'm 10 Tenchi but you need to remember that in reality I am 710 years old. I know what someone looks like when they are in love and you have not been doing a good job of hiding you feelings for the one you love." Sasami corrected her misguided nephew.

Tenchi could only shake his head as the Sasami's words sunk in. He knew that he hadn't been to discrete about his feelings but since his beloved hadn't noticed he figured that no one else had either. Sasami brought him back from his revelation as she resumed speaking to him. 

"All I really wanted to tell you was that I thank that you made the best choice and that I am really happy for you. However, I thank that you should stop hiding your feelings because its not doing anyone any good for you to keep allowing the others to think that you are still available." Sasami admonished.

"I know Sasami. I will tell the others tomorrow after lunch. That will give me enough time to figure out exactly what I'm going to tell them while I'm doing my chores." Tenchi said as he felt the weight of the situation finally being lifted off of his shoulders. 

******************************End Flashback******************************

            "Tenchi and Sasami didn't know that I was outside listening. I assumed that I was the one that Tenchi had chosen but I was wrong. The next day I decided to surprise Tenchi by telling him that I knew that he had made his choice and that I sure that I would be the perfect match for him. I waited till Sasami was about to send Ryo-Oki to get Tenchi for lunch and told her that I would get him myself. When I found Tenchi I threw myself at him like some common slut telling him that I knew that he had chosen me and that I would do everything I could to make him happy. I will never forget the way he looked at me then. He had the kindest, gentlest expression on his face. He took my hand and looked into my eyes. I just knew that he was going to tell me that I he loved me. But instead he that it was true he had made his choice but that he was sorry that I misunderstood but that he hadn't chosen me. He said that he loved Ryoko and that he planed on telling her that afternoon. At that point Yosho my entire body felt numb. I couldn't even respond. I went back to the house and upstairs to find Ryoko. I really didn't plan to do anything in the beginning but when I saw her coming up the stairs something in my mind said if she were to do something that Tenchi couldn't forgive than he would forget her and chose me. That's when I screamed out Ryoko's name and threw myself down the stairs in order to make everyone believe that she had tried to…to…" Ayeka couldn't finish her story. She had been crying the entire time that she had been speaking to Katsuhito.

 "To kill you." Katsuhito finished for is weeping sister. 

"Yes, but I promise you brother I never thought that Tenchi would force her to leave the house. I just thought that… Once I learned what had happened I knew that I could never tell him the truth about what had happened because I knew that he would hate me but I also knew that I couldn't stay here either because I wouldn't be able to face him from day to day knowing that I had selfishly cost him his true love." The princess softly said to her older brother.

 "Oh Ayeka, how could you?" Sasami said her voice full of remorse.

 Neither Ayeka nor Katsuhito had heard Sasami and the other girls standing at the door listing to her relate the details of what she had done. Everyone had assumed the worst of Ryoko. None of them had even stopped to consider that she was innocent. Finally knowing the truth of the whole affair made them all feel the pain of betraying their friends trust. 

            "Ayeka as your brother I forbid you from leaving before you tell Tenchi the truth about what you have done. Also and this is for the rest of you. Each one of you assumed the worst of Ryoko through this entire ordeal and you should all be ashamed of yourselves. I forbid any of you from speaking of this before I return. That however, does not apply to you Ayeka. You will go inside and wait for Tenchi. The moment that he returns you are to tell him everything that you have just told me. After doing so you will instruct him not to leave until I have spoken with him. Finally after you spoken with Tenchi you are wait for me before you do anything further. Do you all understand my instructions?" Katsuhito instructed the gathered family members using his most authoritative voice.

Each of the girls nodded their understanding and stepped back into the house to wait for Tenchi.

"Sasami please bring me the Master Key." The old monk asked his youngest sister.

Sasami hurriedly fetched the sword for Katsuhito without asking him why he wanted it Everyone knew that it was not the time to question Lord Katsuhito's methods.

 Katsuhito was leaving for the shrine when Tenchi meet him at the front gate.

 "Tenchi, go inside Ayeka has something important to tell you. You are to listen to everything she has to say and no matter what you're reaction might be, no matter what you're instincts may tell you to do you are to remain here. Do you understand?" Katsuhito's voice was stern as he gave his instructions to his bewildered grandson. 

"Umm yes Grandpa I understand. But…" Tenchi began

 "No buts Tenchi just do as I say." Katsuhito almost yelled as he headed onward towards the shrine leaving Tenchi to wonder he had missed.

            Once inside Tenchi found Ayeka and the other patiently waiting in the living area. No one said anything as he enter the room, they merely sat waiting for the explosion that each of them knew was coming. 

"Hello everyone." Tenchi said, breaking the deafening silence that had engulfed the room. 

When no one ventured to return his greetings he turned his attention to Ayeka. "Lady Ayeka, Grandpa said that you had something important you needed to talk to me about."

  Ayeka looked towards the other for support but instead of finding comfort in their eyes she saw only reflections of disbelief and malice. 

"Listen everyone." Washu chimed in. "I think that we should let Tenchi and Ayeka be alone for awhile." 

No one disagreed with Washu's suggestion as they all hurried out of the room towards the kitchen. However, before she left Washu moved to Ayeka who was now standing in order to face Tenchi. Leaning in close so that only Ayeka could hear her Washu began to speak. 

"I just want you to know something before I go Ayeka. You have accomplished what no one, not even Kagato ever succeeded in doing. You have made me hate my own daughter and I will never forgive you for doing so. No matter what happens in the future remember that someday I will repay for what you're lies have caused me to lose." Washu's voice was eerily filled with gentle sweetness as she threatened the Jurian Princess.

Ayeka could only lower her head in shame. For the first time she was beginning to realize that her lies had affected more lives than those of herself, Ryoko, and Tenchi. There was nothing that Ayeka could say. Washu was a woman of her word and Ayeka knew that Washu would at some point make good on her promise. 

"Ayeka, you had something to tell me?" Tenchi again asked.

"Umm yes Lord Tenchi. Perhaps you should set down." The strange tremble in Ayeka's voice told Tenchi that whatever she was going to tell him was serious. 

Tenchi moved to the couch and gave his undivided attention to whatever Ayeka was about to tell him. 

            "Lord Tenchi, what I am about to tell you will come as a shock. I have done something very serious." Ayeka watched Tenchi's face with great interest in the hopes that she might judge his reaction as she spoke. Still deep down she already knew what his reaction would be. "A few days ago I..." Ayeka began.

 "Lady Ayeka, before you go on let me tell you how sorry I am for what happened. I never thought that Ryoko could be so cruel as to try and hurt you like that." Tenchi apologized.

"No Lord Tenchi, you don't understand. I overheard you speaking with Sasami. When you confirmed to her that you had chosen whom you wanted to be with. I assumed that I was your choice. You see I never heard whom you had actually chosen. Then that day in the field when you told me that it was in fact Ryoko I lost myself for a while. When left you I returned to the house and began to look for Ryoko. When I finally found her she was coming upstairs for something. At that point something in my mind told me that if she was do something that you could never forgive her for than perhaps you would forget about her and chose me. Tenchi I never thought that you would force her to leave, I never thought that I would cause so much pain to everyone." Tears had begun to run down Ayeka's face as she bravely related the circumstances of the week's previous events.

Tenchi for the most part was taking everything that was being said as though it was some sort of daytime soap opera. 

"When Ryoko got to the top of the stairs I..." Ayeka continued

 The young man had begun to slowly to shake his head in disbelief. Silently he prayed that she wasn't about to tell him what he had begun to suspect. 

"I screamed Ryoko's name in order to make everyone believe that she had done something to me. I then threw myself down the stairs. Tenchi I…know what I did was wrong but…" Ayeka stammered trying to make the young man understand why she had done what she did.

"You know what you did was wrong! Is that all you have to say, you know what you did was wrong! How could you Ayeka! How could play God with other peoples emotions! Is this how things work on Juria? When you don't get what you want you lie and cheat! No, wait that can't be true else Sasami and Grandpa would be like you! Ayeka I thought that you would be the mature one, the one that I could trust to accept my decision without going to extremes. But no, I don't know which is worst the fact that you lied to me, to everyone, or the fact that we believed you! And what about Ryoko, I didn't even give her a chance to explain. I just took you're lie at face value and assumed that you were the one telling the truth! Because of you Ayeka I betrayed the woman that I loved before I ever got a chance to tell her how I felt! Does that make you happy, does it give you some since of diverse pleasure too cause so much pain and suffering?" Tenchi screamed 

"No." Ayeka offered accepting the verbal thrashing that she was being given. 

Tenchi's voice was full of hate for the Princess. He looked as though he was about to explode from the amount of blood that had rushed to his face. Ayeka stood motionless as Tenchi vented his rage, not daring to move out of both a since of fear and respect. 

"Ayeka, tell me. Did you honestly expect me to just run to you, to forget Ryoko?" Tenchi asked after taking a moment to somewhat calm himself.

"No, I just thought…" Ayeka began but was cut short by the pure disgust she saw in Tenchi's eyes.

 "Do you know what the worst part of it is Ayeka? The worst part is that I believed you over Ryoko. I love her with all my heart but I still believed you over her and for the life of me I don't know what that says about me. I didn't even give her a chance. How could she ever forgive me for that?" Tenchi asked himself more than the princess standing in the room with him.

Ayeka wanted to comfort Tenchi, but she knew that that would be the worst thing that she could do at the given moment. With most of his anger vented he turned from Ayeka and headed up to his room. 

"Ayeka, I don't want you to leave the house if that is what you are thinking. I want you to remain here so that everyday I see you I will be reminded of how much I hate you at this moment." Tenchi coldly stated as he left the woman standing at the bottom of the stairs.

 Ayeka was thrown aback at Tenchi's words and her tears came ever harder as their meaning sunk in to her consciousness. "As you wish Lord Tenchi." Ayeka replied fully prepared to spend the rest of her life carrying out Tenchi's request.

Once Tenchi was safely out of sight the remaining girls returned to the living area where they found Ayeka crumpled on the floor with tears streaming down her face. No one went to her they all just moved past her in order to go to their rooms. Only Sasami hastened to give her sister one final fleeting look of pity before she and Ryo-Ohki continued up the stairs. It would be very very long time before Ayeka, the First Princess of Juria's Royal Family, would ever truly be accepted as a member of the Masaki household again.

            Ryoko was waiting patiently in the Katsuhito's office. Her mind was an array of images of the past few years with Tenchi and the others. She remembered all the happy times they had spent together. She remembered the long talks she had with Sasami and times they spent teasing Ryo-Ohki. She was very fond of the little princess and thought of her as a little sister. She regretted that she had never told Sasami how much she cared for her. 

Ryoko's mind than turned to Mihoshi and Kiyone, the Galaxy Police Detectives that she had befriended. Ryoko remembered all the times that Kiyone had gotten angry at Mihoshi for some stupid reason or another. At first she hadn't really liked Kiyone because of her tendency to do this but after a while she came to realize that Kiyone truly loved Mihoshi and only got angry because she knew that Mihoshi was capable of much more than she led others to believe. It was because of this that she regarded Kiyone as loyal and trustworthy friend. 

Then there was Washu, her mother, although she would never let the scientist hear her call her that. Ryoko had spent most of her life under Kagato's control. She had never really known what it was to feel a mother's love. At least that what she believed, true enough that she had no memory of her life before Kagato so she really didn't know what life before those dark times were like. Still she loved Washu more than she would ever admit. 

Next there was Ryo-Ohki. During the period she spent with Kagato Ryo-Ohki was nothing more than her ship, a weapon to help her to carry out her masters will. But now she knew that the little cabbit was much more than that. Ryo-Ohki was her sister in every since of the word. Nothing would change that and as long as she could help it she would never allow anything to happen to her. 

And then there was Ayeka. After all the fights, after all the threats, after everything that had happened she still cared deeply for the princess. True they fought like cats and dogs at times but Ryoko knew that Ayeka could never really hurt her while at the same time she knew that she could easily kill Ayeka if she really wanted. Even now after Ayeka had cost her so much she still considered her to be one of her very best friends. 

Finally her mind turned to Tenchi. The boy she loved, the man that she would gladly have called husband. She had watched over him from the time that he was just a small child, she had watched him grow into the person that he had become there was no real doubt why she loved him as much as she did. Tears had formed in Ryoko's eyes at the multitude of memories that had surfaced. She had not even noticed that Katsuhito had returned to the shrine.

            Katsuhito stood in the doorway watching the relatively young woman as she traveled through her memories oblivious to his presence. Once Ryoko noticed that Katsuhito had returned and that he carried with him the Master Key. Unconsciously she drew in a sharp breath at the thought at what was about to happen. 

"Ryoko, are you absolutely sure that this is what you want?" Katsuhito asked hoping that he had given Ryoko enough time to reconsider her request. 

"Yes Grandfather, There really isn't any other choice. I cannot bear to remain separated from my family. Please Grandfather I don't know what else I to do." Ryoko's voice betrayed her true feelings about being resealed inside the cave. 

Katsuhito did not hesitate to pick up on this and decided to do all that he could to sway her from the path she had chosen to walk upon. 

"Ryoko, I don't believe that you really want to be placed back into that cave. In fact I know that you don't. Right now you feel that you have no choice. You believe that the only way for you to be with the others is by not being with them. If you go through with this it would be like looking in through a window and never being able to enjoy the scene unfolding inside. Don't you remember what it was like for you before? Do you honestly believe that you could be content simply looking in from the outside for the rest of your life" Katsuhito calmly asked already knowing the answer.

 "No, Grandfather I don't want that but, what else can I do? I can't go back to the house and I can't go on without the others. What else can I do?" Ryoko broke down crying. 

Katsuhito pondered this for a moment before he spoke. "Come with me Ryoko. We will return to the house. You will wait outside and I will send Tenchi to speak with you. If after you have spoken with him you still wish to be resealed in the cave than I will do as you ask." He soothingly spoke.

Ryoko nodded her approval to Katsuhito's suggestion and followed the monk towards the house. Outside the sun was slowly descending in the distance. Ryoko's heart was pounding with the thought of seeing Tenchi again after what seemed like a lifetime away from him. As they approached the house Katsuhito motioned for Ryoko to wait at the gate while he continued into the house where he noticed that the family was preparing for dinner. Everyone was there except for Ayeka and Tenchi. 

"Where are Tenchi and Ayeka?" Katsuhito asked sternly. 

"They're in their rooms." Mihoshi answered as she placed several dishes on the table. 

"Well than Kiyone will you please go and tell each of them that I wish to speak to them now." The old man instructed.

"Yes Grandfather, right away." Kiyone quickly replied and headed upstairs. 

Katsuhito than went over to Washu who was silently crying in a corner of the living area. "Washu, why are you crying?" He asked.

 "Isn't it obvious? Ayeka lied about what Ryoko had done and I believed her. I chose to believe her over my own daughter. How could I have done that Katsuhito?" Washu weepingly asked with tears still running down her face.

 "All that I can tell you is that sometimes we do things that we would never otherwise do. In time all will be forgiven. However, for now I think that you should go and speak with her. She is waiting at the gates with Azaka and Kamidake." Katsuhito managed to say before Washu rushed out the front door. 

            Washu was at the front gates before she had time to thank about anything else. Her child like form abandoned for the final time. She would never reclaim that form after tonight. Ryoko saw her coming and for a moment considered teleporting away but once she saw her mother's eyes she knew what the former goddess was feeling inside.

 "Ryoko, oh Ryoko, can you ever forgive me for what I…" The red haired woman stumbled out as she embraced her daughter.

"It's ok Mom, I know that you love me. I really do. At first it hurt that you didn't believe me but I understand how it must have looked. After all I'm not the most outstanding person in the galaxy." Ryoko attempted to joke.

 "That is not an excuse. I should have trusted you, I should have believed you but all I did was stand by and do nothing. Ryoko if you could ever find it in your heart to give me a second chance I will do everything in my power to make things right between us." Washu's eyes were overflowing with tears of love for her daughter. Ryoko could feel this in her heart and for the first time in her memory she could finally say that she knew what it was to know a mother's love.

 "It's alright Mom, all is forgiven. You have just given me the only thing that I ever really wanted from you." The golden-eyed woman said holding onto her mother for all she was worth.

"What's that dear?" Washu asked hoping that she already knew the answer.

"You love." Ryoko simply responded.

The greatest scientific mind in the universe was at a lost for words so she did the only thing she could do. She held her daughter and allow the tear to flow at their own accord.

            Inside Katsuhito had broken the news of Ryoko's return to the rest of the girls. They were all eager too see her but he forbid it saying that there would time for that later on in the evening. 

Ayeka was the first to come downstairs she looked defeated and tired. She wanted nothing more than to return to her room but she knew in her heart that she had to do everything in her power to make up for what she had done. "Lord Yosho, you wished to speak with me." Ayeka presented herself to her brother prepared to receive whatever judgment he had for her. 

"Yes I did. Ryoko is waiting outside I want you to go and speak with her." The monk said as a matter of fact.

 Ayeka was bewildered and somewhat shocked but immediately turned and stepped outside the door. She moved quickly to where Ryoko and Washu were standing. 

But as she approached Washu moved to block Ayeka's path. "What do you want? Don't you think that you have hurt her enough with you're…" Washu began but was quitted by Ryoko's hand on her shoulder. 

"It's ok Mom, I need to speak with her." Ryoko told her mother.

 "Are you sure dear?" Washu asked still glaring menacing looks toward Ayeka.

 "Yes I'm sure. Please give us a moment alone. No matter what else happens tonight I promise that I will speak to you before I do anything else." Ryoko stated hugging the red head once more.

 "Alight Ryoko but if you need anything than just call."  Washu said before she left to return to the house but not before she gave Ayeka a menacing glance.

            Ayeka's face shown the heavy weight that she had been carrying in her heart and she didn't know exactly how to began her conversation with Ryoko. Ryoko watched her intently for a moment before she spoke. 

"Walk with me won't you Ayeka." Ryoko gentle asked the other woman.

Ayeka had expected Ryoko to lash out and attack her for what she had done to her. Instead the space pirate's voice was full of kindness and sorrow. 

"Yes, of course." Ayeka finally responded. 

The two of them walked slowly down the path towards the place where Yosho's Funaho was firmly rooted into the Earth. The only sounds were those of the singing crickets and the gentle rustle of the leaves beneath their feet as they walked. They continued their stroll silently until they reached the base of Funaho.  Once they stood beneath the ancient tree Ayeka began to softly speak causing Ryoko to turn attention towards her in order to hear.  

"Ryoko, I know what you must think of me. What I have done to you can never be forgiven. However, I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life trying to atone for what I have done. I'll do anything that I can to try and make up for all the pain that I have caused you." Ayeka told her companion trying her best not to break down before receiving Ryoko's verdict. 

As Ryoko listened she knew that Ayeka meant every word that she had said.

 "I don't want anything from you Ayeka. There is nothing you can do for me." Ryoko said as she sat down upon one of Funaho unearthed roots.

"I see, then you will never forgive me. I understand completely. I will of course accept any punishment that you see fit." Ayeka courageously stated.

  "What do you mean?" A confused Ryoko asked.

 "I have known for a long time that you are far more powerful than I am. In truth I always wondered why you held back so much when we fought. However, now that I wronged you so terribly…" Ayeka forced out bravely but was interrupted as Ryoko let out a small chuckle. An action that only Ayeka's declaration that made the princess to wonder exactly what was so funny. 

Seeing the confusion on Ayeka's face Ryoko silenced her laughter and stood in order to hug the still confused princess. 

"Ayeka, I'm not going to hurt you. I didn't come back here for revenge. I hadn't even planned on seeing any of you until you came outside." Ryoko said pulling away from the other woman.

Ayeka saw tears forming in Ryoko's eyes and was thrown by her show of compassion. 

"When I told you that there was nothing you could do for me I meant that there was nothing you needed to do. I forgave you before I left that day. There are no bad feelings between us Ayeka. As far as I am concerned our feud is over." Ryoko continued looking out over the still pond.

 Ayeka had softly begun to cry as she listened to Ryoko. "How can you forgive me for what I did, how can you forget what happened?" She asked.

 "Simple, I understand better than anyone that sometimes we lose ourselves and that no matter how good we may be we sometimes walk down a dark path which threatens to swallow us at every turn. Before Tenchi released me from that cave I was prepared to spend the rest of my life there atoning for what I had done. But once I meet all of you and we became a family I realized that what had happened in the past could never be changed and the only way to atone was to live for a better future. Can you understand what I mean Ayeka?" Ryoko regarded the princess while pausing for a moment. "This is how I can forgive you. However, just because I have forgiven you doesn't mean that you're off the hook. The challenge now is for you to find a way to forgive yourself. Unless you can do that you will never be at peace. One more thing Ayeka, I always considered you to be a friend even though I never really showed it. Now that this is behind us I hope that we can start over and become more like the friends that we should have been." Ryoko finished hoping that Ayeka could accept everything that she had told her.

 "Thank you Ryoko and yes I know that from know on we will be friends in every since of the word." Ayeka said before she embraced her friend and placed a loving kiss upon her cheek. 

"All right than now that we settled that let's go back to the house." Ryoko said cheerfully and the two began the short journey home.

            Ryoko and Ayeka were standing together at the gate when Katsuhito exited the house. 

"Ah, there you two are and no worst for the wear I see." The old man said with a slight sense of relief in his voice. 

"Yes Grandfather, Ayeka and I had a long talk and we have put the past behind us." Ryoko said as the two smiled brightly at one another before returning their attention to Lord Katsuhito.

"Very well then. Ryoko Tenchi is waiting inside to speak with you. Once you have done so if you still wish me to do as you asked then return to the shrine and it will done." Katsuhito instructed knowing full well that his services would no longer be needed.

 "Thank you Grandfather, but I don't think that it will be necessary any longer." Ryoko replied hopefully.

 "I see. In that case, Ayeka please return this to the house." Katsuhito stated handing the Master Key to Ayeka who instantly knew why he had it and what it was Ryoko had asked him to do for her. 

The princess eyes filled with tears once more at the extent of pain and suffering she had caused but before she sunk to deeply into her belittlement Ryoko gave her a reassuring smile and told her that there was nothing left to be sorry about everything had been set to right. Ayeka then turned to replace the sword when Ryoko called to her. "Ayeka could you ask Tenchi to join me. I need to speak with him before…you know." 

"Of course Ryoko." Ayeka replied.

 "Ryoko it was noble thing you have done forgiving Ayeka the way you did. A lesser person would have sought to punish her. Instead you embraced her and in doing so you have saved not only yourself but also her from a painfully lonely future. I am very proud of you." Katsuhito told the former space pirate as he walked slowly back towards the Masaki Shrine. 

"Thank you Grandfather." Ryoko said softly as she silently thank the Prince of Juria for first imprisoning her in the cave 700 years before and for saving her from it tonight.

            Ayeka had barely gotten the words out of her mouth before Tenchi ran for the door. His was heart pounding with the thought of once again seeing his precious Ryoko. While at the same time his mind was filled with questions for which he had no answers. How can I face her after all that has happened?  How can she ever forgive me for doubting her? What am I supposed to say to her? On and on the questions flowed like water till his was standing face to face to the woman that he loved. 

"Hello there." Ryoko said with smile. 

After everything she still could not deny the love she held for him and she didn't really want to try. 

"Ryoko how can you ever…" Tenchi began but before he could say another word Ryoko placed her finger over his lips. Her eyes were shining with a multitude of unshed tears. 

"It's ok Tenchi. I forgive you but the fact is that I was never really angry with you. Since I first saw you I have loved you and nothing will ever change that my Tenchi. I would suffer any amount of pain for you, I would give my life to protect you from harm, and there isn't anything I would not do for you. I hope that you know that." Ryoko told the man she loved.

"I do Ryoko but, when it was you that was in trouble, when you were the one that need support I turned my back on you. After all the times that you were there for me I refused to even hear you. How can you forgive that?" Tenchi asked not daring to look into her eyes.

"I won't deny that you hurt me but at the same time I can't deny that I love you also." Ryoko said as she turned to look towards the direction of the lake. 

Tenchi marveled at the loving sprite that he felt flowing from her. 

"Ryoko, the day that this all started I was going to tell you something. I think that you need to know why Ayeka did what she did. You see in part it was my fault because I told her that I had made a choice about who I loved." 

 For a moment Ryoko's heart took flight. This was the moment she had waited for all her life. Her Tenchi was about to tell her that he loved her. 

"You see Ryoko I love…" Again Ryoko stop him before he could finish. 

"No Tenchi don't tell me that, not now at least. It's easy for me to forgive you for not trusting me if I know that you and I are very close friends. However, if you tell me what my hearts longs to hear than I know that I would accept you without question but I know that everyday I would ask myself if you cared that much for me than how could you ever forsake me. Do you understand Tenchi?" Ryoko sadly told the prince.

Tenchi lowered his head slightly knowing that he had brought this down upon himself. "Yes, I understand and I accept you decision completely."

 "Now don't go getting the wrong ideal my Tenchi I still want to hear you say those three little words to me but I just think that it would be best if you gave me some time to come to terms with a few questions I still have lingering in my head. Does that sound fair to you?" Ryoko's smile seemingly lit up the darkened sky. He hadn't lost her completely; there was still time to win Ryoko's heart. 

"Of course it does. However, I do have one condition of my own." Tenchi responded.

 Ryoko was surprised but was more than prepared to hear what he had to say to her. "What is it Tenchi?"

 "You must agree to come home and promise never to leave again." He asked knowing that she would agree when he saw her cheeks turn a slight shade of crimson. 

"I agree to your terms whole heartily with the condition that you and everyone else must forgive Ayeka. I have forgiven her so it only seems right that the rest of you do the same." Ryoko said extending her hand to him in order to seal they're agreement. 

Tenchi agreed and took a single step forward placing tender kiss upon her cheek. "Lets go inside Ryoko I'm sure that Sasami has dinner waiting for us." Tenchi whispered into Ryoko's ear before he took her hand in order to lead her home.

Together they walked into the Masaki home where Ryoko had learned to love and more importantly where she had learned to forgive. 


End file.
